Red Bull has announced that Isack Hadjar has secured a 'long-term' contract with the Formula 1 team.
Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies has confirmed that Isack Hadjar indeed has a ‘long-term contract’ with the organization, despite some uncertainty expressed by the driver himself.
On Wednesday, it was revealed that Hadjar will remain with Red Bull until 2027, marking the beginning of his second season alongside four-time world champion Max Verstappen.
This announcement follows Hadjar's rookie season with sister team Racing Bulls in 2025, where a remarkable performance including a podium finish at Zandvoort led to his elevation to the main squad for 2026.
He was initially only confirmed for this season, as was the case for 2027, leading the 21-year-old to state, “I don’t know” when asked to specify the duration of his new contract.
When this inquiry was directed to Mekies during the Azerbaijan Grand Prix weekend, the French executive responded: “Isack has been part of Red Bull for quite some time.
“This indicates that yes, we have a very long-term contract with him as he is part of our junior program. We have exercised our options to ensure his presence until 2027.”
Laurent Mekies, Red Bull Racing
Hadjar has certainly outperformed his predecessor Yuki Tsunoda, who is among many drivers who have struggled alongside Verstappen, finishing 17th in the 2025 standings.
The rookie sits eighth in the 2026 championship with 71 points, despite missing the last three grands prix due to injury, and achieved his second career podium at Monaco in June.
“The decision to extend Hadjar’s contract was quite straightforward,” Mekies remarked. “We discussed this several times throughout the season; he has delivered a very strong first half of the year.
“Initially, it was due to his natural speed, followed by how well he has blended with the team. He quickly relocated to the UK and spent nearly every other week with us in Milton Keynes. Equally important, we’ve seen his progress during the races.
“He has consistently improved in various aspects nearly every race weekend, making it an easy choice to renew his contract.”
Hadjar now has the responsibility to narrow the gap to Verstappen, who currently leads their qualifying face-off 12-3 this year and has accrued 145 points.
Isack Hadjar, Red Bull Racing
“What we expect from him is to keep progressing,” Mekies added. “We want to see him continue improving his speed, along with his technical feedback, maturity, and team integration, as he has in the season's first half.
“If he maintains that trajectory, he will undoubtedly be very competitive with Max. These elements are interconnected.”
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